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What exactly are “Calories”? |
 Have you ever read the Nutrition information panel of a food label? What exactly does the word calorie (kcal) or kilojoule (kJ) mean? Could it mean fats or sugar?
It is a common misconception that calories equate to fats or sugar.
So what exactly are calories?
A calorie is a measurement unit of energy. It is similar to any measurement unit. For instance, the measurement unit of liquid is Litres(L) and the measurement unit of Length is Metre(m). Thus the measurement of the energy from the macronutrients of various food sources is called calories.
Calorie Content of the different Macronutrients:
1g of Carbohydrate is 4kcal
1g of Protein is 4kcal
1g of Alcohol is 7cal
1g of Fat is 9kcal
Hence if a certain food is classified as 'empty-calories' or “energy-dense”, this means that the food has minimal nutrients e.g. vitamins and minerals and a high calorie content. Examples of foods that are 'empty-calories' or 'energy dense' are soft drinks and potato chips. 'Nutrient dense foods' on the other hand, have a higher nutrient and a lower calorie content. Examples of foods that are 'nutrient dense' are low fat milk, fruits and vegetables. Dieticians and nutritionists recommend we take more 'nutrient dense' foods to meet our body's nutrient requirements and less of the 'energy dense' foods.
So what then is a kilojoule (kJ)? It too, like the calorie, is a unit measurement of energy; however it is another conversion of measurement unit.
1kJ equals to 4.5kcal.
So the next time you read a food label you will be able to tell how much energy that particular food product contains, whether it is 'energy-dense' or 'nutrient dense' and whether that food is a suitable choice for you!
Watch this space for the calorie content for various local food and beverages. |